Shear connection between composite slabs and steel beams

An investigation is reported in which 42 ‘through-deck’ push-out tests were conducted on specimens that incorporated trapezoidal profiled steel sheets and headed shear connectors. Objectives of the tests were (a) to study the effects of varying basic through-deck push-out test parameters in order to recommend a standard configuration for such tests and (b) to study the effect of practical sheeting-joint details on connection strength. On finding that ultimate connection strengths for the majority of the tests fell below current code-design values, a method to predict the observed ultimate strengths was sought. The method presented is based upon a wedged-shear-cone failure mode as observed throughout the tests.